Desire and Regret
by Gedwey ignasia
Summary: After Kagome dies she finds herself in the middle of a huge mistake. She was never supposed to die in the first place. Scrambling to correct this oversite, she lands herself new help and more trouble in love IY/YYH Inuya/Kagome/Hiei NOT for young readers
1. Rivers of blood and death

Hello there, if you're reading this then something has caught your attention and hopefully will keep it. This will be an Inuyasha/Kagome/Hiei story. Sorry if that doesn't interest you and I'm not sure how it will end up. It's possible I will do an alternate ending sorta deal so don't be surprised if that's the case. Any ways enjoy. Reviews are appreciated and welcomed, even if its to say you hated it. All critics have their place in history and most ended up in dungeons…

**Disclaimer: All characters you recognize belong to someone else's and are only literary devices to entertain the public.**

**Desire and Regret**

**Chapter one: Rivers of blood and death**

"_Rivers are roads which move,_

_and which carry us whither_

_we__** desire **__to go." Blaise Pascal_

Blackness enveloped her, her fears and sorrows growing numb and distant. It was hard to feel anything at this point. The world was reduced to a single sliver of moon light highlighting Inuyasha's pained expression and silvered tears that trekked a path down his soft face. It was odd, to say the least that the end hadn't come for them after Naraku was defeated, nor in the Feudal Era at all, no, the end had come within a suburban area of Tokyo on the hard marble steps leading up to her family's shrine. Now that she paused to think on it, she had to admit that it had been her stupidity that ended it all for her, if only she hadn't been so kind hearted, perhaps then she wouldn't be lying in a pool of her own blood tasting the metallic liquid on her tongue and paying dearly for the past sins of her nature.

"Yasha," Even her voice was deserting her in death. The sound, normally melodious and sweet was garbled and gurgled past the blood congesting her throat. Inuyasha had leaned closer to catch her final words. It was funny the things you realize as your death comes over you, she could feel the labored breaths as blood swamped her lungs and restricted her air flow. Her heart slowed to a dull beat then stuttered to a stop, its job finished now that all the blood had fled the petite body of the sacred priestess. As inky obscurity took total possession of her vision, the last sight she registered before her eyes closed forever was a frantic Inuyasha.

Neon lights blinded her in a way she had never known before. Trying to block it out, she blinked and pressed her eyes tightly closed, the action not helping to ease her pain. Lifting a hand to her face she wondering briefly why her body didn't hurt anymore. Experimentally, she flexed the muscles it would take to sit up, finding them to be in fluid working order she rose and despite the pain opened her eyes. A startled gasp escaped her as she found her self staring down Inuyasha's back, her head having passed through his chest. Freaking out, Kagome stood up quickly and spun around to stare wide eyed at Inuyasha cradling her dead body. Feeling morbid and intrusive, but unable to look away, she watched as a person seeing a train wreck would.

Inuyasha sat much as she had last seen him, only instead of being in his arms; she was standing outside of her self watching herself. _It's like a bad dream_, _only I can't wake up or control the outcome…_ Letting that thought pass, she stared in horror and fascination at her empty shell. The blood littering her shone a ghastly black and oozed down the pristine white marble creating a crimson river of precious life. Her face was flaccid and immobile; her deceased blue eyes were staring glossily at the sky seeing nothing. Blood ran from the corner of her lips seeping down her chin to her neck. Her hands lay limply at her sides; blood was present there too. The rest of her was too hard to see as Inuyasha was pressed tightly to her body.

Taking the time, _it's not like I have anything but time,_ she studied him. His face was pressed into the hallow of her throat, his hands cradled her head delicately her hair twisted through his fingers. Her petite body was pulled into his lap his legs curled up keeping her as close as possible. Sobs shook his form, jiggling her wilted figure, and making it dance in a macabre way.

_**"Inuyasha."**_ She tried calling to him, seeing if he could hear her or not. It possibly could have been good timing on his part, or maybe he really did hear her, she didn't know, but he looked up suddenly at the moon high over head and snarled his rage to the callous heavens. Seemingly drained, Inuyasha, no longer crying, but glassy eyed and stricken, glanced at Kagome's dead body. Time appeared to stop as he leaned in slowly and placed a gentle kiss to the parted lips of his miko. Pain flared bright as a flame inside her heart as she watched the scene. Using his clawed hand, he wiped the blood from her face and closed her eyes; Kagome shuddered at the serene look on her own face.

"I'm so sorry Kagome, Kami only knows how much. I should have been there for you, this never should have happened. I…I love you. I always did. I should have told you sooner, because now I'll never get the chance to see if you loved me too." She shattered, or it felt like it any way. How could she possibly not? The man she had loved for the last five years finally admitted what she had been craving to hear, only the irony was she was dead and couldn't tell him that it was reciprocated. It was then that Kagome began to let things she hadn't ever felt or let rule her as a living person invade her; anger, a sense of cynicism and a sadistic sense of humor roiled in her soul. Life had been cruel, but it seemed death was a bitch.

It was at that precise moment that the sky above them ripped open and a turbulent portal of black and violet spat out a girl floating on an oar. Startled, Kagome took a step back and nearly fell from the marble step at least ten feet above the street. Nearly, because the girl from the portal shot out a hand and latched onto Kagome's wrist yanking her back to safety.

"Wouldn't want you to take a nasty spill!" The girl was bubbly and overly energetic considering the circumstance, at least to Kagome's way of thinking. Then the blue haired girl threw her head back and mirth tinkled from her parted lips joyously. _Great, the only person that can see or touch me is crazy…_the thought came unbidden, but it was apparently true. Inuyasha remained oblivious to the two women hovering near him and it wasn't exactly subtle to fly around on an oar.

"Get it? Oh come on, you dead people have absolutely no sense of humor. You're dead,…you can't really be injured,…nasty spill? Getting there yet?" Kagome stared at the other girl, her face completely bored and passive. The girl sighed heavily and landed next to Inuyasha.

"Was he your boyfriend?" Kagome followed the girl's line of vision to Inuyasha still holding her tranquil body. _Apparently, even in death I can be embarrassed,_ Kagome thought as her face bloomed scarlet. Shaking her head in a negative way, she turned back to the other woman.

"Too bad, he's really cute. Anyway, I'm Botan. I'm your ticket to the other life, so if you could please just step this way…" Turning, Botan went to open another portal, but was halted by a hand whipping her around. Finding herself staring at two incensed orbs of azure flame the deity of death suddenly felt very anxious and couldn't help but fidget.

"_**What do you mean the other life? I have an important quest to fulfill. I'm not done with this life yet, there's been a mistake."**_ Kagome was shocked at the growl in her voice, it wasn't that she wanted to die, but she didn't really have a problem with being dead either, perhaps it was the shock. _Inuyasha even rubbed off on me after life…_she mused. Botan, who had been expecting something of the sort, masked her anxiousness with a cool façade.

"I'm telling you your time **is** up. Everyone thinks that they are special, that some quest, or endeavor, or situation needs to be taken care of before they pass. Believe me, it doesn't. People die all the time and leave important things to the hands of fate. I'm sure your passing won't end the world or change the fabric of time or anything. Now, don't make me go all Grim Reaper on you, ok? Just take this as inevitable and except it. Can we go now? It's not exactly healthy to stare at your own corpse for so long…" Glaring at her, Kagome listened to Botan give her speech, then she sighed and turned to Inuyasha one last time.

"_**Please be okay Inuyasha." **_Nodding to Botan, she followed the death harbinger to the swirling portal leading to her after life and hoped that that bit about her death not bringing the end of the world was true…


	2. Next stop Hell, enjoy your stay

Welcome back thanks for sticking with me, unfornatuately this is going to be probably a long and drawn out fic, so if your looking for something just to quickly appease your lust this isn't going to be the fiction for you. Review and tell me what you think, alright, thanks!

**Disclaimer: All characters you recognize belong to someone else's and are only literary devices to entertain the public.**

**Desire and Regret**

**Chapter two: Next stop Hell, enjoy your stay**

_"A strong passion for any object_

_will ensure success, _

_for the __**desire **__of the end _

_will point out the means." Henry Hazlitt_

Elevator music. It had to be **elevator **music. Obviously, it wasn't bad enough you were dead but you had to stand in a line that twisted and snaked for miles with a number attached to your shirt while pressed closed to the worst and best of humanity all while listening to the single most boring sound in the world. It was enough to make someone go crazy and right about then that is exactly what Kagome felt she was fighting for, her sanity. Hoping to drown out the chatter of the other dead and the awful choice of background music, she rolled her head back on her shoulders and blinked at the fluffy yellow clouds drifting lazily in the sea of bunny slipper pink. Actually, it would have been interesting if the guy behind her would stop elbowing her every two minutes and muttering incessantly.

Kagome had followed Botan trustingly and was now really wishing she had snatched the flying oar from the dead conveyer and beat her senseless with it. _This must be hell_, she thought idly. Just then the guy behind her hit her again jarring her into the nun in front of her. Snapping, it had been over five hours after all, she whirled around with narrowed blue eyes and a raging temper. Her aura burned impressively bright around her flaring up and setting off alarms that wailed like tornado warnings.

"_**If you elbow me one more time I swear to send you to whatever hell you choose, got it buddy? I'm not really having all that great of a day so far and you are realllllllyyy PISSING ME OFF!"**_ The man behind her reared back like a frightened pony and suddenly the elevator music was all there was to be heard. Oh, and there was a large gap in the line directly behind a petite miko who was still steaming. Snorting in anger, she glared at the man, noticing the gore and filth his soul self showed.

It was something she had perceived since she had been left in what looked like a doctor's waiting area by Botan, some people, like the nun ahead of her and herself were pristine in appearance, their wasn't a speck of dirt or blood to be found. Others, however, were slovenly, grimy and caked in blood. Some, as the man behind her showed their way of death clearly. The guy behind her had half his face split open with blood and brain matter showing through. It was obvious that someone had taken an axe to his head. Scowling in disgust, she flipped her hair over her shoulder and stared ahead, pretending not to notice the couple of thousand faces blinking owlishly from their turned around positions in the foremost of the line.

Brooding, Kagome folded her arms over her chest, and closed her eyes while bringing her head to incline in a nod, unconsciously mimicking Inuyasha. _Stupid Botan! Sneaky lil' pain!_ Botan had indeed left her in the Doctor office-like waiting room, a few comfortable chairs strewn around a cozy lobby area with magazines, all of which were decades old…, and a friendly blue skinned girl with orange hair seated behind a wall and glassed area. The only door in or out of the room was to the left of the pleasant receptionist. _This isn't so bad_ Kagome had originally thought and even went as far as to thank Botan for her help. Botan, on her part had the decency to look a little abashed. Chuckling nervously, she gave Kagome a quick wave and disappeared with an audible 'pop'. The receptionist motioned Kagome forward and gave her a dazzling smile full of sharp teeth. Tapping a finger to a clip board on a ledge made for writing, she offered Kagome a quill with the other hand.

"Sign in honey, then take a seat. We just have to confirm you're deceased and then you'll be on you way to the after life. This is the check in area, if you will. Let me know if you have any questions." Then, belying the past comment, the glass snapped closed leaving Kagome with her jaw hanging open and a million questions posed on her tongue. _Maybe not so friendly after all…_ turning she stomped over to one of the chairs and peeked through her bangs at the other occupants in the room. It was a very mixed lot to say the least. Other than her, there were four other peopleish things in the room. An adorable old man with a wizened face and crinkled up eyes behind impossibly large thick glasses sat acrossed from her snoring. To her left was a Water sprite looking terribly bored. The sprite had a long greenish body with aqua-marine colored hair that clung to her wet flesh. Shark black eyes stared unseeing at a point on the far wall. Next to the sprite was a quivering mass of blood colored jelly, Kagome didn't pause long on it to see any other details, she got the impression that it had been human at some point and was pretty sure that was an eye ball on the left there. To her right was the final occupant in the room, a hostile looking demon. By all appearances he was a bat youkai, but seeing as he was missing appendages it was slightly difficult to tell. His skin was the color of a bruise, a blend of purple and deep blue almost black. His arm was wrapped tightly over his chest and a look of angry arrogance ruined his handsome face, well that and the blood that coated it.

Hours passed slowly, the plastic clock on the wall didn't actually tell time so much as it taunted, literally. The white plastic outer rim blended with the boring walls, but the dark black hands and the maroon writing that would appear every time you looked at it stood out. Kagome had found her eyes drawn to it more and more as time ticked to a near stop. The words appeared like smoke, drifting into existence slowly making you squint your eyes to try and make out what it said before it was clear. The first time Kagome laid eyes on it, it read 'Do you really think you need to know what time it is?' Having to agree that since she was dead it didn't really matter, Kagome turned away feeling her cheeks tinted pink.

As she watched one after the other of the people in her room leave, and new ones arrive, she kept finding her eyes wandering back to the infuriating clock. Even if it was insulting, it was still better than staring at her hands or trying to read the magazines that crumbled when you went to pick them up.

Finding herself staring at the swirl of maroon writing once more, she chuckled as she read its newest affront. 'Hobbies aren't just for the living, you know?' It was just after this that the glass flung open and the orange haired girl stuck her head out the window and scanned the room as she had done numerous times.

"Hey, Higurashi, Kagome?" Kagome's head snapped around to stare at the girl before stumbling toward the window, surprised she had been called. "Sorry it took so long, go through the door." As the window began to close Kagome happened to hear the grumbles of the demonic girl before she stepped through the portal. "I don't get paid enough to figure out what a girl with no record is doing here, let the people that actually make the money do something for a change."

It was after passing through the door that she realized that as bad as the reception area was what was behind door number one was way worse. The door opened inward, revealing chipped paint and peeling linoleum in a checkered black and white pattern. A giant white and red sign flashed an arrow pointing to the left continually, so Kagome did the logical thing and followed it. Those flashing sign phenomena continued for at least five more corridors. It ended at a shadowed brick wall with a single iron infused door that had black-out glass. A cheery neon green sign told her this was the exit. Assuming she would walk out into the land of paradise or something she took a deep breath and shoved through. Only to stumble into a hideously long line of other dead people waiting for gods know what. And this is where she was still, after five hours of people backing up behind her and as far as she could tell no one moving ahead of her. Needless to say, her eye brow was twitching and she really could use some sort of explanation right about now.

A low hum tickled at the back of her mind. It was annoyingly similar to that of a car far off in the distance. _Great, now I'm hallucinating,_ this thought only served to aggravate her more. She fought to ignore the increasingly loud noise, until she heard another more interesting one. People ahead of her were talking, and loudly. Their speculations reached to where she was standing when the nun in front of her turned to her and leaned closer in a conspiratorial way.

_**"I heard that there is some sort of convoy headed this way. See, if you're only patient god will provide." **_Winking at Kagome as if she just imparted sacred wisdom, the old woman turned back around and once more looked serene and peaceful. _'I don't know about all that, but a convoy could be my ticket outta here…'_ Devious thoughts whisked though her head of daring leaps onto the truck or car and escaping this hellish waiting around. After traveling with a very impatient Inuyasha, she herself didn't retain much stamina for idly standing about. So deep in thought was she that she failed to realize that the engine noise had suddenly died. Pondering her circumstance, she was annoyed when once again she was poked in the back. Trying to stave off an explosion of anger, she turned around slowly with her eyebrow twitching madly.

To say she was shocked to see a trio of men all dressed in black suits and white shirts was needless. The men were of both human and demon origins and all had clear ear pieces winding down into their collars. _'They look like the Secret Service or something…'_ The tallest of the bunch had been the one to poke her in the back with a small electronic device that was beeping loudly. A needle jumped on the screen reading off the charts in whatever it was meant to detect.

"Miss, could you please come with us? This line is for non-magical people, and persons such as your self are not meant to fraternize with this caliber of human." He had spoken without a single inclination to his voice and his large green face that was vaguely pig-like was void of emotion. It was just another day at the office for these guys. Blinking, and somewhat relived, Kagome nodded ascent and followed docilely after the large guy with the other two flanking her on either side. _'It's like they are worried I'm going to attack them or something'_ and indeed they were fidgety as if they expected a bomb to go off at any second.

The ride to a building far in the distance and past years of humans waiting patiently to arrive, took the foursome very little time at all in fact. A five minute ride and she was finally reading a sign that said **Welcome to the Afterlife. **The men hustled her down a side entrance into a luxuriously appointed waiting room. A few demonic women were situated around the room each with a certain task to attend to. One was answering phones with the five arms she possessed. Another was filing papers at rapid speed and incredible accuracy. The final sat primly behind a large brass and oak finished desk to the right of a pair of duel cherry wood doors. It was this last woman that her guards bent down to whisper hastily too. Her grey eyes widened suddenly, and she shot off questions just as quietly as the men had. They in return eyed the slight girl and shrugged their massive shoulders before indicating a nearly empty brown folder in their hands and waving around the instrument in the befuddled woman's face. The elderly demon lady sat back and nodded sharply, then raised a clawed and manicured hand in Kagome's direction. The men looked relieved and without a second look back booked it from the office.

Kagome stepped forward hesitantly. The woman was strict looking like a principal of a school and seemed to hold just as much influence around here. Gulping, she smiled timidly and gave the woman a short bow. The woman's face hardened, her lips pulled into a tight grimace, and it dawned on Kagome that it was supposed to be a smile. Incredulous, she eyed the woman and read the name tag shining brightly on the front of her navy blue suit. 'Ms. Tankoyo' even her name was cold.

"Yes, you girl, you are whom exactly? You have extraordinary levels of power coming off you but we can't seem to discover who you are. Tell me now and place your hand here on the blue screen. Quickly!" The voice was a direct opposite of everything else about the woman. The words were short and clipped off but the sound of the voice was smooth and rich, shocking to listen to. Kagome jumped and placed her hand as told on the glowing blue screen feeling her palm heat up almost unbearably and green lines shoot through the blue to make a perfect copy of her hand.

"_**My name is Kagome Higurashi, I'm, er…was, a miko from Japan."**_ The woman nodded her head impatiently and appeared to be barely listening, just then the palm pilot like thing made a dull beep and Kagome pulled away with a gasp clutching her stinging hand. _'It bit me!'_ Glaring at the machine, she rubbed her red palm as Ms. Tankoyo read the rapidly processing results. A startled squeak escaped her and she almost dropped the computer she held. Readjusting her fallen glasses to the bridge of her nose, Ms. Tankoyo stared wide eyed at the nervous miko before her.

"You're **THE** Higurashi, Kagome? Time traveling miko and possessor of the Shikon no Tama? **WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL SOMEONE THAT?!**" Startled, Kagome took several steps back as Ms. Tankoyo rounded the desk a woman on a mission. Snagging Kagome's wrist, she dragged the resisting girl through the heavy doors and into an oval shaped office filled with people.

Startled at the intrusion, the occupants all turned as one to the panting demoness and the minuscule miko standing in the doorway. Ms. Tankoyo looked like a crazy person with her hair all disordered and her cheeks tinted pink. Her eyes shone in a possessed and fanatical way like quicksilver. A toddler sat atop an impressively huge desk sucking on a pacifier, it was to this person, not the five adults, one of which was very memorable, that Ms. Tankoyo began to babble to.

"Sorry to interrupt, but sir! This girl is NOT supposed to be here!" Once again, Ms. Tankoyo heaved Kagome forward and flung her into the center of the room. Embarrassment flooded her face to a crimson hue and she attempted to hide her flaming face behind her hands. '_This really isn't my day! First I die, and you would think that alone would be the whole of my problems, but no. Of course not. Nothing is simple for Kagome! I wait around for almost twelve hours, to be lugged to a raving lunatic, and then thrown in front of a bunch of people I don't know all because of that death girl!' _While having a mental break down the occupants of the room, who had been staring at either one or the other of the two intruders, began to take action in one way or the other. The toddler, having sat and assessed the situation, rolled his eyes and slapped a chubby hand to his face.

"Well, then have her removed to the wait area, this isn't really a pressing issue, Ms. Tankoyo. I don't see why it was imperative for you to intrude on a private meeting with my Spirit Detectives over this. Honestly, it's so hard to find good help…" At the thought of returning to the waiting room Kagome suddenly wasn't feeling so embarrassed anymore. In fact, she was staring to lose her cool…again. Spinning on the tiny tot, she fumed, letting her aura lash out and radiate around the room. Unknown to Kagome, her eyes lit a celestial blue and her hair snapped in an unnatural breeze. Pointing a finger at the diminutive ruler, she was gratified to see his eyes bug out at the casual use of such concentrated purifying power.

"_**I am NOT returning to that room! You people are absolutely amazing! Since I have died I have been carted from one end of this place to the other and continuously your people keep telling me I don't belong here, or I don't exist! Well I do exist and I'm really unhappy about it about now! I'm not leaving until I get some answers damn it!" **_Encompassing the room in her glare she noticed that the reaction to her display was a fifty-fifty one. A dark haired handsome human boy stood with his jaw dropped and stared at her in awe. The tall red head that was not particularly attractive was similarly in shock. Opposite to them a shorter demon with black spiky hair and a white starburst was fingering his sword at his hip threateningly. Next to him was a devastatingly handsome human with a funny aura and dazzling red hair was also in a defensive stance. It was then that she noted the fifth member of the room who was cowering behind the aforementioned black haired human. A woman with little to no aura and familiar blue hair…_ 'Can't be…'_

Reaching out and snagging the woman's wrist, Kagome narrowed her eyes on a found out Botan and finally had an outlet for her rage.

"_**You! You're the one that told me it was normal for someone to think themselves special when they die! Botan what the hell is going on?!" **_Botan shrank back from the enraged Kagome and when the room seemed to be holding its breath she shrugged uncomfortably and uttered a single lame word.

"Oops?"


	3. Another undead miko?

Ello! Glad to once again see your bright and smiling faces! Onward shall we? Btw, thank you to those who choose to review. I appreciate it, to those who have yet to, let me know what you think. I know this is going boringly slow, but I like to build plots not just throw characters into bed and slap an ending on it. While that may be fun I have to have something to think on after the initial rush, ya know?

**Disclaimer: All characters you recognize belong to someone else's and are only literary devices to entertain the public.**

**Desire and Regret**

**Chapter three: Another undead miko?**

"_I have in irrepressible __**desire**_

_to live till I can be assured that the world_

_is a little better for my having lived in it.." Abraham Lincoln_

"_**Exactly what do you mean 'oops'?"**_ Kagome growled. She was honestly trying desperately to keep it together but no one could really blame her after all she had been through today. _'I need some ice cream and a hot bath'_ Kagome noticed that several of the occupants in the room seemed to stare harder at her after her thought process, but maybe it was her imagination. Botan for her part was standing shifting from foot to foot and toeing the rich carpet.

"What? I just did my job! You died, I went to collect you and since you were human, and** at the time** didn't have a freakishly strong aura, I put you with the regular humans. That's all I knew. Sheese, if I had been informed of your powers I would have placed you in the correct place ok?" Having grown uncomfortable being the center of attention, Botan grew quite and stared back at Kagome. A loud sigh escaped Kagome in a 'whoosh', her hand rose to rub her throbbing temple. _'Of all the crap I've dealt with when being chased by demons and collecting shards this is the worst day I think I have ever been through' _once again she got the feeling that two of the boys' eyes narrowed on her.

"Sir, it has nothing to do with being placed incorrectly. That actually happens…err…never mind. This girl is Higurashi, Kagome! The legendary miko?" Ms. Tankoyo leaned forward and raised her eyebrows as though she expected Koenma to suddenly understand her meaning and he did. The tiny tot leaned forward and nearly fell from his high perch as his eyes bugged out of his head. Shooting an alarmed look at his detectives, he gulped and turned on Kagome.

"How did this happen?! Kagome? The Kagome? You're supposed to be in the past about five hundred years actually, what are you doing here?!" Kagome couldn't help it, she laughed. It was a side splitting, tears rolling down her face laugh, a sign she was really losing it. The office was silent other than the musical laughter coming from the shaking twenty year old. Finally getting a hold on herself, she wiped a hand over her face and with a few last chuckles stared at the ceiling in disbelief.

"_**Wait a minute. You know who I am, you know what I do, and you don't have the faintest idea how I got to be here? So, to sum it up, you're asking me, a person that was until very recently unaware you even existed what is going on in YOUR world? You got to be kidding me?!" **_Kagome stared at Koenma in amazement and he had the decency to blush. Yusuke on the other hand was enjoying himself completely.

"Ha-ha, you mean you guys fucked up, didn't you? Hey, toddler, what are you going to do, huh?" Gloating, Yusuke smiled at the frazzled girl and winked. She in turn simply stared and shook her head. '_For some reason he reminds me of Miroku…'_

"_**Okay, what I really need is answers. So, to get them I am willing to do whatever it is that is necessary and it looks like that is telling you about me first. Alright, most of you look utterly confused. My name is Kagome, Ka-go-me, and I am, or was twenty years old. I'm a reincarnated miko protector of the Shikon No Tama a legendry jewel of great and terrible powers. Everyone up to speed so far?" **_At this the room nodded as one, with the exception of Hiei of course. Hiei remained alert and unconsciously clenched and unclenched his hand. He and Kurama both had shared a look at the mention of the Jewel, all demons knew of it and its magnificent powers. Yoko had actually assumed control for a brief moment in time and twitched while licking his lips at the mere thought of possessing the sacred jewel.

"_**At fifteen I was sucked into a time portal taking residence in an old well on my family's shrine. This was where I became aware that I was in possession of the jewel and that it was very coveted. Long story short, I released an Inu-hanyou from a binding spell I myself had inflicted on him in a past life and currently am spending most of my time five hundred years in the past battling power hungry youkai for the jewel shards after I accidentally split the jewel into hundreds of pieces…but, I do also head back occasionally when my stubborn headed friend Inuyasha lets me, to visit my family and gather supplies. It was on one of those trips that I died."**_ The far away look in her eyes told them she was reliving her memories of that particular event. A shudder ran down her spine and goose flesh rose on her arms.

"Yes, yes, but you shouldn't be here! You are to finish the quest! You were never supposed to die! I cant even begin to tell you how much of a head ache I'm getting just thinking of what could have already happened to change history! You must be sent back immediately! Ms. Tankoyo, quickly get me the papers to sign sending this soul back to its body! I can't believe this! And of all days too, eek, what if the barrier doesn't hold now?! You!" Koenma's hand shot out and a chubby baby finger pointed at the five Reikai detectives in the room. "You are going to have to go with her! But make sure you don't interfere unless you absolutely have to! This is more catastrophic than you can possibly comprehend, so don't screw this up! All you have to do is make sure no one other than the inu-hanyou and the girl come through the portal, and MAKE SURE SHE DOESN'T DIE AT ANY COST! GO!" Botan jumped into action and made a hasty exit through a portal, the others following quickly in her foot steps. Kagome, feeling flabbergasted and unsure just stared at the small ruler, her eyes blinking owlishly confusion written all over her face. As she was about to ask a question when a hand returned through the portal and snagged her wrist yanking her into the whirling oblivion.

The exit from the portal was turbulent at best for the miko. She was used to short trips down the well that felt similar to carnival rides with a twinge in your stomach and then the bodily jolt as you came to a stop. This trip was more like a deft defying car race ending in a vicious crash killing all competition. Falling to her knees on the soft grass in front of the Goshinboku, Kagome fought down that urge to upchuck. Her entire body hurt like it had been wrung through a washer and beaten like a rug. Shakily, she pressed a hand to her face and was startled to see all the blood on it. With muscles twitching sporadically it was hard to focus on her hand to see the extent of blood. Behind her she heard someone gasp.

"What the hell?! Where did all that blood come from?" Yusuke's voice was appalled to say the least. After having come through the uncomfortable portal, the girl, Kagome, had gone almost clear for a moment before she landed on her knees coated in blood and shaking uncontrollably. Next to him Botan tisked sadly and dropped down next to the newly reanimated body of the young miko.

"Shush, it will be okay. It's an unfortunate reaction to being thrown back into your body. Normally, reentrance would occur three to five hours after death not a mere twenty minutes. Your body was still shutting down making it sorta like jump starting a car. Soon you'll be up and moving like nothing ever happened, but I think we should get you washed off, after all you're still a little ghastly looking. Covered in blood isn't exactly a good look for anyone." Making soothing small circles on the twitching girl's back, she explained as calmly as she could. Honestly, she wasn't sure what exactly had happened. Koenma wasn't very descriptive after all, and even though Kagome had explained things it was not as helpful as it could have been, but maybe it was just Botan.

Finding that as Botan had said her body was slowly reacting to her commands, Kagome found enough strength to stand up with the blue haired girl's help. Wobbly as a new colt, Kagome turned around and for the first time since entering her own body stood before the curious and revolted men. Where as in the spirit world Kagome had appeared in a long and flowing kimono of white with an almost childish look to her innocent face, the one facing them now was darkly beautiful and there was nothing childish about her. Her features were smoother, older, graceful and wise beyond her years. Large blue eyes glinted in the moonlight, their depths whirling in confusion and pain. Deep red lips stood out from the pale oval of her face, dark shining blood was streaked over the delicate contours. The white kimono was no more; in its place was an impossibly short skirt of red and black showing off long fair legs that were similarly smeared in her own blood. A long sleeved tight white shirt ended a good two inches from where her hips flared out in a distinctly womanly curve. The tightness of the shirt was relieved somewhat from the large gory tear in the abdominal area. Under the gore was a smooth creamy stomach that flexed with a sudden breath. _'Damn, breathing hurts…it's like sucking fire into my lungs and trying not to choke on the ashes left in place of my vital organs.' _Shuttering, she quelled the feeling and struggled to stand on her own. Glancing down at her self she was mortified to see the state her body was in.

"Gah! Didn't my mom even try to clean my body? Or did Inuyasha take that long to bring me to her? Wait, why am I out in front of the Goshinboku?" Kagome turned her head in all directions trying to speculate the whys and how's of her arrival outside under the massive tree. Botan placed a gentle hand on the confused woman's shoulder.

"Under the circumstances, we thought it best to call your body to your soul instead of vice versa, so actually, as far as any of your family knows you just sorta disappeared. Hehe…" The sinister look sent in the other woman's direction was enough to silence the reaper.

"You mean my mom thinks her dead daughter just up and disappeared? Yea, with grandpa already on edge having his granddaughter just up and vanish is sure to send him into a tizzy." Having every intention of trudging toward her house and putting to rest her parent and grandfather's fears, she took a single halting step in that direction before almost being sent directly into the ground.

"No you're way of just resurrecting in front of your family is much better." Hiei had decided to speak, and his contribution was not particularly wanted at that moment by the now undead miko. Turning incensed sapphire eyes on the fire demon, Kagome growled impressively for a human.

"What was that shorty? Care to repeat it?" Kagome wasn't exactly one to talk seeing as she was actually shorter that Hiei, but at present it didn't matter to her. Perhaps awakening from bleeding to death in her living room with her mother and her grandfather there wasn't the smartest idea, but stumbling and dragging herself in from the yard with minimal usage of her limbs wasn't much better. She didn't need a short smart ass demon to tell her she looked like a zombie, she already knew that. Hiei, for his part bristled at the provoked miko. He wasn't short! Glaring daggers at Kagome, he took a few steps in her direction his hand clenched on the hilt of his sword. Yusuke put a stop to the brewing fight by stepping into Hiei's path. Shaking his head, he glared at the angered youkai.

"Hn, she can't even move, wouldn't be worth my time." Growling he folded his arms over his chest and turned his head completely dismissing the enraged priestess. Kagome sneered rather extraordinarily and burned holes in the back of Hiei's head. _'Irritating little…_' Kagome was cut off from her internal tirade as a white hot flash of pain rocked through her mind. A moment's pain and then it receded, leaving her mind buzzing like a bee's hive. From her position, she thought she saw Hiei smirk. Narrowing her eyes in suspicion, she glowered more.

"Are we going to go inside and is someone going to explain to me exactly what is going on here? I know you just got back in your body, but I don't like to be left hanging." Yusuke broke the silent war without even knowing it, and like always cut directly to the chase. Kagome blinked a few times before she realized that she didn't even know these people and it was possible that like her they didn't quite comprehend exactly what was going on either. Sighing, she nodded and accepted Botan's help into the house. What she had forgotten of course was that there was a very emotional and distressed hanyou in the house along with her family.


	4. Stories from the grave

Well it seems that I have two people to thank. I absolutely adore you and it is solely your support that has lead to this installment. If it weren't for you Tyanna and Torticolis, there would not even be a chapter. I was getting discouraged, but because I know there are at least two people out there that are enjoying this dribble I wrote more. Thank you! : ) Here is your chapter specifically just for you!

**Disclaimer: All characters you recognize belong to someone else and are only literary devices to entertain the public.**

**Desire and Regret**

**Chapter four: Stories from the grave**

"_Study without the __**desire**_

_spoils the memory,_

_and it learns nothing that it_

_takes in." Leonardo da Vinci_

A blood streaked trembling hand reached for the metal handle on the back door of her childhood home only to have it snatched from her and jerked open. The squeak of the hinges was drowned out by the enraged snarl and chest vibrating growls coming from the shadowy figure in her path. Gold glinted in the waning moonlight highlighting familiar orbs to the startled miko. Abruptly, the growling stopped and the figure stumbled back a step into a direct beam of light. Inuyasha stood staring at Kagome in fear and guilt, a small bit of hope appearing in the lines around his mouth. Both miko and hanyou stood very still, feeling out the other and simply letting their churning minds come to grip with the beloved face of the other they hadn't expected to see. Slowly, as though stuck in a time elapsed video, Kagome reached out a wavering hand to Inuyasha. Inuyasha, no longer caring if this was some crazy dream or a cursed trick of his frail mind, stepped forward and in an instant had completely enveloped the petite girl. His strong arms held her close, his face pressed tightly into her thick dark locks. His embrace told the others everything they needed to know about the hanyou; he cared for the miko greatly and was loath to have this be some sort of cruel cosmic joke and have her snatched away from him.

"Inuyasha?" Kagome's voice was soft, meant for Inu's ears only but with the complete silence drove into the others head's like a jack hammer. Suddenly feeling like she was intruding on a private moment, Botan blushed and looked away. Yusuke and Hiei had no such qualms. Yusuke, clearing his throat loudly smirked as the two snatched apart almost sending a wobbly Kagome into the ground. She had completely forgotten them and Inuyasha upon discovering Kagome at the door had let it slip his mind why he was going to investigate in the first place. Hiei, having let Yusuke draw attention to them, nearly grinned triumphantly as Inuyasha just about threw the annoying bitch to the ground and took up a battle stance. Hiei had been itching for a fight for days and this hanyou, while he would never admit it, looked like he could be a good match. Resuming his snarling, Inuyasha nearly gnashed his teeth together at the presence of all the high powered youkai directly on top of his Kagome. Had these bastards been responsible for her death in the first place, and was one of them possibly like Yura and controlling the miko from the grave?

Just as it looked like it was going to get confrontational, and all the males were bristling under the suspicious glare and threatening snarls of the inu-hanyou, Kagome managed to gain her footing and took quick stock of the predicament. _'Sorry Inuyasha,_' she thought sadly, shaking her head at the pain she knew not only her explanation, but her next actions were going to cause him.

"Sit! You should really ask before you assume Inuyasha! And you guys shouldn't attack my friends!" Shaking a finger at the Reikai detectives, Kagome admonished them. Botan was the only one that looked even remotely contrite. Hiei out and out scoffed at her, while Yusuke and Kuwabara shrugged pathetically. Kurama went as far as to justify his teams actions to the irate miko while trying to figure out how the hell the small woman had just uttered one word and completely subdued the much larger and physically stronger hanyou.

"We have to protect ourselves and how were we supposed to know your friend would do us no harm, Miss Kagome?" Polite as usual, he smiled warmly while still nervous that she could possibly be able to pull such an action on them as she did to her 'friend'. Struggling to get up off the floor, the inu-hanyou was justifiably fuming. Glaring at first Kagome then at the people staring at him, he managed to get up and brushed the dirt from his clothing.

"Had she not stopped me I would have done a hell of a lot of harm to you bastards. What the hell did you stop me for wench?" Having gotten over his momentary lapse of thought, even Inuyasha realized that if it wasn't Kagome, then she wouldn't have been able to subdue him, and since he didn't know she was aware of his actions after her death he didn't feel any need to inform her, he fell back on old and comfortable actions. These actions after the day she had had were possibly not the best timed. Turning her head slowly in Inuyasha's direction, she felt her eyebrow begin to twitch. Scowling fiercely, she felt reasonably better when he flinched visibly. She knew he was expecting another bout of sucking dirt but she honestly just didn't have the heart for it, not since she was still, despite his rudeness and behavior, happy just to see him again. She distinctly heard Hiei snort and remembered why she despised the shortest demon in the group.

"I'm going to pretend the last five minutes didn't happen and we are all going to go into the house explain to my mom that I am very much alive and then we are going to have a nice, little chat. Starting with who you people are. Everyone understand? Great." And with that, she turned and shuffled her way painfully slow down the hallway. She never noticed the raised eyebrows and a few disgruntled faces. Botan turned to the flinching hanyou with the adorable puppy ears situated atop his head and smiled, maybe Kagome was frightening sometimes, but she could tell there was **something** between the two despite Kagome's denial of that fact. Hiding her grin behind her hand she brushed past the doorway where it was obvious that the one called Inuyasha wasn't planning on vacating his position until each of them had gone in front of him into the house. Whether it was because it cut off their escape through that exit or it kept them all where he could see them was unknown.

Feeling drained and completely at wits end, Kagome forced herself the last few feet to the living room before coming to a complete stop. The room which was normally warm and inviting seemed a tomb with all the feelings of despair and regret swelling from its occupants. Kagome never thought that Souta would be home and in the house when Inuyasha brought her body to her mom. Seeing him slouched on the couch his face in his hands and a noticeable shiver to his shoulders nearly killed her all over again. Next to him, her mother sat with an arm draped over her son's shoulders and her own face buried in his hair. Her grandpa sat on the floor his eyes glazed and listless, his hands rested on the coffee table in front of him which was streaked in grim and blood. Kagome knew that this is where Inuyasha had sat her body before it had shadily disappeared and left her family with nothing to mourn. Feeling like an intruder at their own funeral, she forced herself to have courage and took a halting step into the forbidding room. Her grandpa was the first to take notice of her entrance and it took several minutes for him to register that it wasn't Inuyasha returning like he had thought, but his dead granddaughter looking for the entire world like the walking dead. Gasping, he shot to his feet, alerting the other two to her presence.

"Vile spirit! Remove yourself from that body! You are desecrating the remains of a powerful and sacred priestess! Be gone I tell you!" An ofuda flung out from his robes and stuck itself to her forehead. Rolling her eyes, Kagome was glad her grandpa didn't have Miroku's talent for the banishing scrolls, or any real power at all for that matter. Souta, recognizing his sister's antics, sprang up from the couch and snagged his grandpa's wrist stopping the old man from launching a string of heavy prayer beads at his sister's reanimated corpse.

"Grandpa! Stop, it's Kagome! Look! Inuyasha is with her!" Surprised at the tail end of her brother's comment, she turned her head to find that Inuyasha had indeed shoved past the some-what amused Spirit detectives and stood to her left looking positively uninterested in her family's behavior. Crossing his arms over his chest and stuffing his hands into the sleeves of his haori, he dropped his head to his chest sighing, the air ruffling his bangs. The effect was ruined by the blood staining his shirt; otherwise it could have been any other normal day for the family, except of course normally it would be Inuyasha grandpa was throwing beads and ofuda at.

"Sheese old man, you would think you would know your own granddaughter when you see her." Inuyasha grumbled earning a glare of annoyance from said granddaughter. Huffing, she balled up the ofuda and tossed it to the floor before stumbling into the room making space for the rest of her forced entourage. She either didn't notice, or didn't care that her grandfather looked aghast at her causal treatment to his ofuda.

"I spent two months on that!" He voiced his reprimand to a deaf room; no one seemed to be the least bit interested in his evidently failed efforts at demon banishing.

"Mama? Souta? It really is me…I'm sorry to have frightened you." Bowing as gracefully as a giraffe considering her still immobile body, she affected what she hoped was a contrite smile. With a sudden cry, her mother launched herself at her stunned daughter and wrapped her arms about her child. Souta, in like action, placed his much larger frame around the two minuscule women and buried his face in his sister's hair having placed his head atop hers. Not wanting to be left out, her grandpa also found his way acrossed the room and wiggled into the family embrace.

"My baby! Oh my little girl! I thought I had lost you! How is this possible? Never mind I don't care! My baby's back thank Kami!" Under different circumstances, Kagome would be mortified about now to have her mother placing kisses all over her face and hugging tightly about her neck in front of complete strangers, but knowing the hell she had put them through for the last half an hour or so, she couldn't care less what the irritating group thought. She was finally home with her family and all was right with her world again.

"Have you forgotten us already? Damn, you're an air head." Yusuke had apparently had enough waiting around for the day and affected a less than subtle way of showing it. Botan, appalled at his words turned about and walloped him along side the head. Up until Yusuke had ruined it, she was caught up in the moment and was sniffling back tears and the burning sensation that went along with them. Now, she was just ashamed that she had been required to bring these insensitive louts to these nice people. Blushing profusely she bowed several times in humiliation when the family unit turned incredulous eyes on the intruders. Well, all but Kagome, who had had more than her share of these people. Her entire expression darkened and the room all but shook from the energy filling it. Once again her eyes flashed neon blue and energy crackled from her. The hairs on everyone's arms rose in response to this spiritual attack and sent shivers down their spines. Even Inuyasha looked a bit unnerved. Kagome had never been this powerful before…

"First, you insult me, then your people try to hurt my friend, now when my family has been worried sick about me because, oh I don't know…I DIED, you complain because I'm taking too long in COMFORTING THEM?! You are SO lucky I'm a miko and by right supposed to be loving of ALL creatures or you would be returning to your boss more than crispy and a WHOLE lot sooner than you anticipated!" Pointing a shaking finger to the couch, she all but snarled at the team waiting somewhat nervously at the entrance to her living room. "Sit!" Completely not thinking, she unintentionally said the subduing word and sent poor Inuyasha into the wooden floorboards of her home. Said hanyou flattened in the blink of an eye and cursed the whole way down. Everyone stood for a moment in utter shock, before simultaneous things happened. Kagome's hands flew to her cheeks now burning in embarrassment and began to profusely apologize to Inuyasha while he cursed her in many unique and stunning words. At the same time, Yusuke and Kuwabara began laughing uproariously. Hiei merely raised an eyebrow curiously, while the rest of the occupants gaped at the prone figure.

"Aheii! Inuyasha I'm so terribly sorry! I didn't mean to do that I just wanted them to take a seat on the couch where I could keep an eye on them! Oh, here let me help you!" Trying to rush to his side, Kagome failed to remember her non operational limbs and ended up swinging her arms in large circles attempting to not fall. Had it not been for Souta, she would have ended up on top of the horizontal hanyou and not in the least helping his increasing temper.

"Damn it Kagome! Why don't you watch what your saying! Are you trying to kill me or something?" Inuyasha managed to sit up and barked at the remorseful priestess. As Kagome continued to try to placate Inuyasha, her family stared on in disbelief. Suddenly, her mother stepped forward and drawing a deep breath to be heard over the bickering Kagome and Inuyasha, the laughing duo, and the sheepishly lecturing Botan, she bellowed at the top of her lungs.

"QUIET!" Gaining the immediate attention of the entire house and possibly the neighborhood, the usually meek woman heaved a deep sigh and ran a hand self consciously over her wrinkled shirt. "That is much better. Now, Kagome, I can see why this young man was slightly annoyed with you if this is an example of how you have been interacting in their presence. Okay, so everyone settle down and take a seat. You, young lady have a bit of explaining to do, or so it would seem…" Quietly, the matron of the house settled herself into a large black recliner and simply stared at the frozen young people. Now they knew where Kagome got her bossiness and her powerful lungs from…

Feeling like small children, the group settled themselves as they were told, including Souta and Grandpa. Staring unblinkingly at her daughter, Kagome's mom swiftly shifted the focus onto the distraught miko. On spot, Kagome cleared her throat and shifted restlessly in her seat. The silence grew heavy and tension rose.

"Kagome? What is going on?" Her mom shattered the silence as a hammer to a window and cut right to the chase. Biting her lip, Kagome shrugged before running a hand through her hair and grimaced finding dried blood tangling her normally silky strands.

"I don't even know where to start." She admitted sheepishly. It wasn't exactly a normal conversation, and despite what the tot had seemed to know about her, these people seated opposite her didn't seem to be in on the loop. She wasn't exactly sure what she should explain and what she didn't have to.

"How about you start with why I found you bleeding to death on the shrine stairs? That's a part I'm DYING to know…" Inuyasha growled out, seated next to Kagome, she made a valiant effort not to meet his narrowed eyes. She felt enough like an idiot for that particular incident as it was with everyone in the dark over her mysterious death. Discovering she wouldn't have any way of weaseling out of it, she gritted her teeth together before fixing her gaze on the fluffy green carpet.

"Um, well, it was really stupid on my part but, I was walking home from meeting with the girls at the mall, and before you say it, yes I was walking alone! Anyway, about a block from the house I got the creepy feeling I was being watched. Since I didn't feel any youkai or anything I shrugged it off for a house or so when I thought I heard footsteps. Getting a little nervous, I looked behind me but couldn't see anything. Walking faster, I kept telling myself it was nothing, just my imagination. At the foot of the shrine stairs I saw a shadow creep up behind me. Spinning around, I was immensely relieved when Buyo, that's my fat white cat by the way, came strutting up to me having followed me for a while. Feeling stupid I leaned down and petted him, I thought it wasn't anything to worry about after all. It was at that moment that a pair of tennis shoes entered my vision, glancing up I nearly fainted. The man above me was some kind of bum, and he was really close! But, he didn't do anything at first, he just stared at me, so I sorta relaxed. We live in a shrine after all. It isn't uncommon for people like him to come and sleep in some of the temples when they have no where else to go. I smiled tentatively and he just stared at me. His eyes were really glazed over like he had been drinking. Just as I was turning around, he caught my shoulder and spun me back to him. Feeling uneasy again I think I shrieked a little. He flinched and looked around, then asked me if I could spare any money. He had spotted my purse and I felt bad, so I opened it. I offered him ten dollars, but I think he seen how much I had in my bag. He snatched the ten, then before I knew it, his other hand, which I hadn't noticed was holding a knife slashed forward. I was too surprised to scream when the first stab came. It didn't even hurt at first, but when he withdrew the knife a searing pain ripped through my guts. By the forth or fifth stab I wasn't capable of holding my self up anymore and he followed me to the ground tearing at my stomach with his knife. His eyes were so…evil, so full of blood lust. I knew then it wasn't about the money at all. He enjoyed this. Killing me. He wanted it more than anything else. Finally, he stopped, but it was too late. My blood was spattered over his face and I kept thinking it was so strange the way it dripped from his cheeks and nose like ruby tears. It kinda looked like he was crying, but he wasn't. When he stood he took my purse with him and just stared down at me. Just as suddenly as his eyes became focused and sinister, they were so hollow and dead. Then he just…walked away. I tried to make it up the stairs. I tried to call for help, but my lungs were having trouble breathing and my throat was so dry. About half way up I got too cold to move and laid down thinking I would only rest for a minute. The moon was so lovely, and I was too tired to keep going. My body didn't hurt any more though, so I hoped it would be okay, you know. Maybe it wasn't as bad as it seemed. Just a lot of blood. But then Inuyasha came and one look at his face, and I knew. I was dying. I was dying because I believed that people were innately good, that they just didn't go around killing people because they like to. How could I be so naïve? Kami knows how many slaughtered people I've seen in the past and I still thought that man who had been following me meant me no harm." A brittle laugh escaped her. During her story she had been in a trance, reliving all the feelings and pain of the moment. Her fear and anxiety, her every breath coming in short pants, tears welling up in her eyes. She was a fool. If she hadn't been so quick to think the best of every situation she never would have died in the first place.

During her tale, no one spoke. No one was sure what to say, and they didn't want to interrupt her once she got going. Botan had choked on her tears and was silently crying, but she wasn't the only one. Kagome's entire family had tears rolling down their faces, reliving each horrifying moment with their cherished one. Kuwabara had turned towards the wall, hiding the sparkle of unshed tears from his team. Those crying were not the only ones affected by Kagome's tale though. Inuyasha had sat stone still, his fist curling tighter till his nails bit into his palms and drew blood. His face a mask of rage and guilt. He felt responsible for what had happened to her. If he would have been there this wouldn't have happened. He never should have let her be alone in her own time, but he didn't think it was dangerous. He should have known better.

Inuyasha could have never known his thoughts were echoed to some extent by three others in the room. Souta felt just as responsible. His anger swelled at the thought of his sister lying on the stairs to the shrine to weak to call for help. Yusuke, having been hit by a car when he died, didn't have to live long enough to feel each blow his body took, and felt guilty he had yelled at Kagome. It was these kinds of mad men he and the team should keep an eye out for, had they been doing their jobs maybe this innocent girl wouldn't have fallen victim to the cruel world. Kurama was identical to Yusuke. Except Kurama couldn't even begin to imagine the pain he would have felt if it had been his mother who had died on the way up to their apartment and he failed to save her.

Hiei sat completely still. Just as Kurama thought of his mother, Hiei couldn't help but think that if something similar was to occur to his sister he wouldn't even be aware of it until it was much to late.

Kagome, coming from her trance looked up suddenly, expecting to see disdain or annoyance at her particularly stupid actions. Instead, the room was silent. No one spoke and no one even spared her a glance, so lost in their own thoughts for the time being. It was at that moment Kagome's mom looked up at her daughter and stifled a sob.

"I'm so sorry baby! As your mother I should have known you were in trouble! You almost died out there all alone. If Inuyasha hadn't come…I don't know how or why but I'm so glad you came back to me. I wont fail you again!" Kagome felt herself break.

"Mama! You never failed me! I'm just sorry I put you all through this! You've told me and told me not to be so trusting, and I'm the one who should be sorry." Hanging her head she never seen the looks the others sent her way, and she especially didn't see Inuyasha move closer. When his arms wrapped around her petite frame, she jumped at first, then the familiar scent of him assaulted her nose and she relaxed into his embrace. For a few more minutes the room became silent. Then, realizing she still hadn't obtained the information she desired from the strangers who just heard a very intimate part of her story, she narrowed her eyes at the Reikai from over Inuyasha's arm.

"So, I spilled, your turn to tell us about you."

**Eek! Sorry I cut it off there but it was getting soooo long! Any way after I get back from SEA WORLD, I hope to get out another chapter for you. Thank you and remember to review! : )**


	5. Derisive Kagome?

I have to apologize for a few things here, one, sorry this took forever. I've had an upper respiratory infection and had a lot of sleeping time lately. Two, this is pathetically short! I was having a bit of writers block, but by bypassing Botan's story I got over it! : ) So, please except this as a peace offering for my belated updating, as I'm still pretty out of it I didn't want to write a whole bunch and screw up my plot or something.

**Disclaimer: All characters you recognize belong to someone else and are only literary devices to entertain the public.**

**Desire and Regret**

**Chapter five: Derisive Kagome? **

"_Man is an animal which,_

_alone among the animals,_

_refuses to be satisfied by the_

_fulfillment of animal __**desires**__" Alexander Graham Bell_

"So you see we are a team much like that of you and your friends, Kagome. Except, we don't, you know usually travel back in time." Botan finished a long drawn out explanation of the Reikai detectives and herself. Kagome felt her jaw crack on a huge yawn. Blurry eyes took in the rest of the occupants of the room. The boys, whom in Botan's long explanation were not identified as who's whom, looked like the zombies she felt like. Each was staring off into space or had their head placed on their chest. The red headed youkai was staring patiently at Botan, but other than him and a star struck Souta everyone was nearly slumbering.

"Well, that was, interesting. I'm sure you have a very exciting job Botan…" Kagome began.

"Not when _she_ tells it…" Inuyasha interrupted with a cynical comment that Kagome tried not to laugh at. Luckily, Botan didn't seem to hear, she was busy poking Yusuke in the shoulder after he had slumped over onto her finally giving up and falling asleep.

"However, I still don't know your names…" Kagome started sending a glare at Inuyasha knowing after years of travel with him that he would open his big mouth.

"And you don't need to." _'True to form, he speaks'_ Kagome thought dryly. Shaking her head she missed the startled look on Botan's face.

Having jerked at Kagome's comment, Botan sent the slumbering Yusuke into the floor, jolting him awake and gaining sleepy grumbles and attitude. Ignoring him she stared at Kagome.

"I didn't? Hum, I thought I covered it when I told you about that time…"

"NO! I…mean…really just a small introduction is necessary. It's very late." Kagome blushed profusely having gained an amused look from Inuyasha, a glare from her mother, and a raised eyebrow which she thought indicated amusement from the short one. Feeling stupid, she smiled awkwardly and refrained from just pointing at each of them and demanding a name.

"If you're sure, it's a really good story…" Botan tried to entice, it failed. Inuyasha got a look of panic and even grandpa snorted impatiently. Shrugging, Botan pressed on unfazed by the lack of enthusiasm in her story telling abilities. "Ok, well, I'm of course Botan. This brooding individual with the spiky hair is Hiei, next to him is Kurama, or you can call him that. Yusuke Urameshi is this sleeping lout at my feet, and our fearless leader…and finally, that…um…also sleeping boy…is Kazuma Kuwabara." Botan smiled, the only person in the room that wasn't looking exhausted or bored. In fact she looked sickeningly awake and chipper even too much so for Kagome's standards.

"Oookay, well, nice to meet you all, er…sort of. Now, if you please, it's very late, I'm still covered in my own blood, and I need some rest. Give my regards to your boss!" Smiling cheerfully, Kagome attempted to usher the lot out the back door, having had ample time in Botan's story telling to reanimate. Her family looked horrified at her actions while Inuyasha looked intensely pleased.

"Kagome Kaen Higurashi! You offer those people a place to stay for the night! I'm very surprised at you young lady! Honestly, where is my kind hearted daughter?" (1) Kagome's mom was not pleased. The middle name usage caught Kagome's attention. Several eyebrows rose at the middle name the small girl possessed. Actually, some of them thought it was fitting.

"She died." Kagome answered under her breath, it wasn't quiet enough to keep the three demons from hearing however. Seeing the look she received from them, she flushed and huffed out a large breath stirring her bangs and slumped in defeat. "Fine! Ok, so there are three guest bed rooms, follow me." Shuffling off down the hall, she wanted to smack the amused looks off that stupid Hiei and Yusuke.

_'The wench is actually amusing…'_ Hiei thought reluctantly, ignoring the surprised look the fox sent his way. _'Mind your own business, fox, or I'll make sure you do…'_

"So you decide who goes where, I really don't care right now. I'm going to take a shower. There are blankets and pillows in each closet and if you _need_ anything," a distinctive grinding noise came from Kagome's mouth here, very much annoyed at playing hostess, "my bedroom is the first on the right up the stairs. Knock first; Inuyasha is likely to tear you apart if you just barge in." The lecherous grins she attained at first for her comment were quickly wiped off their faces.

"You and the…dog…sleep in the same room?" Hiei asked his tone condescending and deliberate. Kagome turned beet red and began to stutter. Inuyasha looked slightly uncomfortable, before he smirked.

"Damn right we do." With that said, knowing it would be interpreted as they were sleeping _together_, and his claim on her was strong in front of these other demons, he turned and walked off. Kagome gaped at him and began waving her hands in front of her as if to ward off evil.

"It's not like that! Well, he DOES sleep in my room, but on the floor, and…I'm...eh he, good night!" Turning the miko bolted with fantastic speed for the stairs. The Reikai looking after the flustered girl in amusement, Yusuke shook his head and barked out a laugh.

"Girl can really move can't she?"

(1) Kagome's middle name is of course made up and I thought it fun to make her name mean _flame_ just a little fun for possible Hiei Kagome action : )

Now before you kill me, remember I love you! : D did that work on any one? No, well I tried…anyway I also wanted to say I'm not a Botan basher. In fact I like her. In my story, however, Kagome does NOT, at least not yet. Maybe she can get along with the blue haired chickee later on, guess we will see, yes? Peace!


	6. To punish a pervert

Yep another chapter! I had fun writing this one, but there are times I feel the characters are oc a bit…tell me what you think. Btw, thank you to those who have added this story to your alerts and those who have reviewed. It really does make it all worth while. A special thanks to those tried and true who have stuck it out since day one… : D Your all awesome!

**Disclaimer: All characters you recognize belong to someone else and are only literary devices to entertain the public.**

**Desire and Regret**

**Chapter six: To punish a pervert**

"_How helpless we are,_

_like netted birds,_

_when we are caught by __**desire**_" _Belva Plain_

With the dawn came the incessant chirping of birds outside Kagome's window. Feeling a bit annoyed at their presence, the raven haired girl flopped over in bed and came face-to-face with a grinning Botan.

"Keya! What is wrong with you?! You almost gave me a heart attack!" At Kagome's yelp, the blue haired deity of death reeled back startled. Sitting on the floor Botan blinked at the panting priestess.

"I came to wake you. Your mom made breakfast. I thought if your boyfriend was anything like the guys I work with you'd want to get a move on before they got there. They can really eat!" Shrugging, Botan stood and took the time to check out Kagome's room. It was staggering to see so much pink since the girl Botan was getting to know didn't seem all that girly.

"Are those _my_ clothes?" Kagome asked suspiciously, eyeing Botan. Botan blushed and rubbed the back of her head nervously. "Those _are_ mine!" Kagome shrieked. Sitting up in bed, Kagome looked a wreck. Her hair was tangled and stood up absurdly about her face having crawled into bed directly after a refreshing shower.

"Your mom loaned them to me. She said you'd be okay with it…" trailing off, Botan seen the incredulous look on Kagome's face. "Perhaps you aren't…I can change back into my own clothes if it bothers you. Its just I hadn't had any chance to pack and after helping you in from the yard I was covered in blood…never mind. I'll change." Botan faltered and dragging her feet, headed for Kagome's door. She really didn't want to wear those gross things until they were at least cleaned.

"Wait! It's…okay." At the look she received from Botan, she hastily continued, "Really. I'm not usually this hostile. Honest. It's just so much has happened and I guess I was kind of taking it out on you. Please forgive me, Botan. Can we start over, maybe?" During Kagome's speech, Botan had wandered over and sat next to the discombobulated woman. Taking Kagome's offered hand, Botan beamed.

"Of course! I don't have many female friends and I was really hoping I could call you one of them." At Kagome's hesitant smile, Botan surged to her feet and offered Kagome a hand up. "So, we should get you fixed up. N offense but you look like the living dead." Neither girl could contain their laughter at Botan's choice of phrase.

Downstairs, things were not going as swimmingly with the males. Having awoken before dawn, Inuyasha had ventured outside and hopped up onto his favorite branch in the Goshinboku, only to find it already occupied.

"What the hell do you think you are doing runt?" Inuyasha growled. He was already annoyed that yesterday had even happened; he sure as hell didn't need the physical presence of those intruders to reaffirm it.

Hiei, not comfortable indoors had spent the night in this tree and while he wasn't a very pleasant person normally, he was extremely malicious when awoken _and_ insulted first thing in the morning.

"Who you calling a runt, dog-boy?" He growled back. The tension in the air was all but tangible. The nearby birds vacated the tree feeling the frustration emanating from the two.

"What was that? Can't hear ya from so far down there." Inuyasha taunted. Hiei barred his fangs and snarled at the impudent bastard.

"Do you have a death wish, mutt? Because if you do, call me a fucking genie." Flicking his thumb, Hiei released his sword from its scabbard.

Inuyasha, not one to be out done ripped his sword from its place at his hip and brandished it threateningly. Hiei merely smirked. This was the confrontation he had been waiting for. 'Finally a good fight." Just as he processed the thought, a flash of something drew his eyes to the window near his tree limb.

Inuyasha, at first confused as to what the hell the shorter demon was waiting for seen the look of surprise etched on Hiei's face and followed the fire demon's line of sight.

Framed in the window, was a very topless Kagome. If Inuyasha wasn't so distracted by the lush view of pale round breasts, he would have been furious. As it was, both demons stood frozen in shock, unable to look away from the unexpected and completely enticing sight.

Unknowingly, Kagome was putting on quite a show. Botan had left her after helping tame her wild hair to get dressed. Feeling much better and utterly alive, Kagome had turned on the radio and danced around her room for a few minutes while she hopped into a pair of undies and shorts. Now, she was attempting to decide on a tank top and forgo a bra or a tee-shirt and wear the bra all while singing and dancing to the song on the stereo. Or at least she was until she happened to glance out the window and see two very dazed youkais.

"Keya! Hentais!" Crossing her arm about her chest, she threw open the window and cast about throwing the first thing her hand landed on at the startled Hiei. It just so happened to be her old geometry book and be very heavy. It hit its mark at the same time the frazzled girl dished out punishment to the blushing hanyou. "Sit! Perverts!" Yanking the blinds down, Kagome didn't bother watching Inuyasha eat branch after branch of the god tree on his way to embrace the earth.

Hiei, having not expected Kagome to have such good aim, was also launched from his perilous perch. He, however, landed much more gracefully than Inu. Still munching dirt thanks to Kagome's rage, Inu fought to glare around blades of grass at the blank faced youkai in front of him.

"This is your entire damn fault! You fucking little pervert! Just wait till I get up! I'm going to teach you to spy on Kagome!" Turning around so Inuyasha wouldn't see him blushing, Hiei neglected to notice his team mates come running outside at the sound of Inuyasha's 'graceful' landing. Having heard everything, the boys gawked openly at the two.

"Hn. The girl doesn't interest someone like me, dog. And you shouldn't make idle threats while your opponent has all the advantage." Just as Hiei was thinking of turning around and pressing his sword to Inu's throat, the screen door snapped open. The petite girl with remarkable speed and obvious throwing capabilities raced out clutching something in her fist and a murderous look on her face.

Storming past the gapping Reikai, she stalked up to Hiei just as that one turned about to see what the commotion was. Irate sapphire eyes met startled gold flecked red ones.

"You pervert! I can't believe you! So what? Is threatening people with that stupid sword of yours foreplay or something?" Poking Hiei in the chest, the miniscule miko glared up into the blush tinted visage above her, completely ignoring Inuyasha who had struggled into a sitting position.

"What was that bitch? You're nothing but an ugly, pathetic human and not even worth the space you take up, let alone my attention." Hiei growled embarrassed and trying to cover his momentary lapse of judgment. Kagome's eyes widened at his cruel words, than narrowed to slits as she stepped closer to the equally pissed off fire youkai. Nose-to-nose, she raised her hand to slap him when the distinctive sound of metal against fabric made her freeze.

Sensing her intentions, Hiei had used his speed and dug his blade into the soft skin of the miko's stomach. Having had enough, Kagome charged the clenched fist at her side and brought it quickly up and over Hiei's head.

A slight weight dropped against his growl-vibrating chest giving him pause. The miko shifted away, a cruel smile on her fair lips. Behind her, the Reikai looked on in alarm and confusion while Inuyasha began to cackle. Hiei glanced down at his chest, noticing right away the black and red string of beads resting there.

"What the hell is this bitch?" Hiei snarled attempting to yank the beads over his head. They glowed blue and refused to budge. Looking up, Inuyasha standing behind Kagome, caught Hiei's attention. The hanyou was holding his prayer beads between his forefinger and thumb, laughing at Hiei's ignorance. As realization dawned, dread set in. Widened eyes met sneering cerulean and he knew he was screwed.

"Down!" Kagome yelled, taking pleasure in watching the arrogant youkai jerked off his feet and planted three feet in the ground. "Don't call me bitch! Don't let me ever catch you peeking at me changing again, and _never, NEVER_ threaten me with that stupid sword!" Turning on her heel, she ignored the angry mumbled curses that came from Hiei's shallow grave.

The slamming of the door released the rest of the boys from their sudden surprise. Yusuke, in true fashion cracked up with Kuwabara, nearly rolling in hysterics over the haughty Hiei's fate. Kurama stared at Hiei as he fought to stand and felt relieved he hadn't been the one on the receiving end of the vengeful girl. Squatting next to Hiei's crater, Inuyasha grinned gleefully but offered Hiei his hand.

"Ya know I don't think I'll kill ya. Now I know why Shippou thinks that is damn funny." Hiei ignored the hand and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Hn," was his only answer.

Once breakfast was over, which resulted in three more 'down's on Kagome's part, two intentional and one not so much so, the two were at each other's throats. The entire group felt the hostility between them and even Kagome's mom wasn't interceding.

No matter what one said or did, the other took offense. At wits end, Inuyasha finally approached Kagome, who at present was having a glaring contest with Hiei.

"Kagome! I'm sick of sittin' round here, let's go!" Being Inuyasha meant he wasn't exactly diplomatic and when he spoke, it was brash and rude. However, for once, Kagome was more than glad to be dragged back to the feudal era. Nodding to him, she dismissed Hiei and walked past the bristling youkai.

"Sure. Let me go pack a few things and we can be on our way." Bestowing a dazzling smile on Inuyasha, she turned around completely missing the yearning look that crossed his features momentarily. Hiei, having seen both the bright smile, and the responding look Inuyasha didn't repress, was inwardly aggravated and finally had something to use against the hanyou.

"You don't even have the guts to tell a corpse you love her?" Hiei declared to Inuyasha. For his part, Inuyasha had forgotten Hiei's presence till the small demon spoke. Glaring, Inu fought a blush that rose to his cheeks.

"Shut up, you rodent!" Inuyasha growled back, "she's not a fucking corpse, and I don't love her." Seeing the raised brow and unimpressed look he received, he simply snarled and walked off.

A loud 'bang' followed by several 'thumps' preceded an excessively large yellow backpack smelling like Kagome into the hall. It came to a stop at Hiei's feet and he had the insane urge to kick it as hard as he could. 'The wench is really aggravating…' he thought to himself, knowing that she was the reason behind his rather emotional and absurd desire.

Said annoyance entered his line of vision ticking off imaginary items on her fingers and oblivious to his presence. She blinked unseeingly at the heavy bag and then looked up, searching for something.

'Where did Inuyasha go? This thing weighs a ton!' Her thoughts penetrated his brain against his will and he was surprised to suddenly find himself holding the hefty pack easily within his arms. Kagome blinked in confusion at him, and then watched him warily; trying to figure out what hellish retaliation he was going to inflict on her belongings. Instead, both were shocked when Hiei simply walked off and placed the bag on the table in the kitchen before heading out the back door.

Kagome stared after him wondering what had suddenly come over the difficult youkai. Shrugging it off as a bit of luck on her part, she entered the kitchen to finish packing food for their trip.

Outside, Hiei headed instinctually for the god tree before sitting at its base in the welcoming shade. Fingering the prayer beads at his throat absent mindedly, he stared off into space until his thoughts were interrupted by raised voices.

"Whatda ya mean your comin' with us? Oh hell no! You fuckers are not comin' with me and Kagome! You're stayin' here!" Inuyasha, in his loud and obnoxious way informed everyone in a half mile radius as to the situation currently upsetting him.

"I'm sorry to inform you Inuyasha, but we are indeed going to have to accompany Miss Kagome and yourself on your journey. We have been given orders I'm afraid." Kurama was attempting to persuade the irate hanyou and it didn't look like it was working. Sighing inwardly, Hiei stood up and approached the scene. All but Kagome were present, and where the wench was was anyone's guess. Ignoring her lack of appearance, Hiei stood in the shadows and watched the confrontation.

It was obvious this wasn't a new discussion. Kurama looked frazzled; his hair was tousled as though he had been running his hand through the locks numerous times. Inuyasha stood with feet braced apart and arms folded over his chest, a true fighter's pose. Hiei noted the clawed hand resting not-so-subtly on the hilt of his sword. Inuyasha's jaw was squared off stubbornly, his posture and facial expression screaming insolent.

Yusuke looked bored but obstinate. It was obvious that he was over this useless argument for as far as he was concerned, as leader, what he said went and this hanyou was just going to have to deal with it.

Kuwabara was tense, his body ready to jump into action if things got confrontational. Other than that, he didn't look like he cared an awful lot either way.

Botan was as anxious as Inuyasha was defiant. She was nervously biting her lip and watching everything play out between the boys.

Like a stirring cool breeze, Kagome suddenly entered the area. Pausing, she noted the irritation and tension between the two groups. Frowning, she came between the boys and Inuyasha instinctually placing a small hand on Inu's chest, forcing the tall male to break eye contact and glance down. Curious and worried navy eyes met his enraged gold and he instantly stopped the low vibrating growls stemming from his chest.

"What's going on Inu?" She asked softly, her voice magically sucking the hostility from the air and unwinding the coiled bodies of all around her. Both Hiei and Kurama noticed the instant reaction they all had when she was calm and around them.

"They're trying to go with." Inuyasha stated simply, not caring to explain their side of it. Kagome only sighed and turned to face them.

"I know you have a job to do, however, so do we. Now, you must understand we can't allow you to come with us as it's very dangerous and we, er, I can't have your safety threatened over our fight." Shrugging, she explained her side and fully expected them to back down gracefully. She didn't know Yusuke then.

With a devilish grin the bad boy walked up to Kagome and offered her a debonair wink. She flushed and blinked in surprise a previous thought reoccurring to her. '_Very much like Miroku…_'

"Don't you worry on my behalf, Kagome. I'm perfectly capable of handling my self in _any_ situation." He leered significantly at her and she subconsciously took a step back into Inuyasha's chest. The hanyou debated briefly on breaking the pesky human's jaw. Instead, he growled warningly and placed himself between the miko and the lecherous human.

"Why go all the way to the feudal era to die? I'm willing to do it for you right here." Inuyasha snarled. Taking the hint, Yusuke rolled his eyes but backed off.

"It isn't up to you Kagome. We really have to go. For some reason you are a top priority. Koenma has several teams out looking for your killer as we speak. You must be protected at all costs." Botan spoke up, having taken Kagome's hand in an effort to get through to her. Inuyasha stiffened.

"Then I'll be the one to do it, and you still don't need to come!" He growled taking offence to her alluding to Kagome not being protected.

"Yea, you've done a great job so far. How long before she's run through this time?" Hiei intoned. Inuyasha turned on him, his claws glinting in the sunlight.

"If you went I'd be more worried about her being run through." Inuyasha spoke through clenched teeth. He didn't like the niggling feeling he had in the back of his skull where this youkai was concerned. The two were itching to test their blades on the others flesh, but were once more halted by Kagome.

"Stop. Inuyasha you are more than capable of protecting me." Here Inuyasha grinned victoriously at Hiei, "but, if it's that important we could use the help, so I guess you'll have to come." His grin quickly faltered. Hiei smirked quickly at Inu before slipping his cool façade into place.

Well there you go. Yet another part of this to be twisted plot laid out. Hopefully you enjoyed it as much as I did. It was fun to write. I don't think I have ever read a story where it takes more than 6 chapters to get to the real action though… (sweat drops) please forgive me, I'm like a doddering old fool; it takes time to get to anywhere good.


	7. Suitors and Omens

Well, here we go, here we go again! Lol, lyrics tend to stick in my head…this is…O.o you'll see…

**Disclaimer: All characters you recognize belong to someone else and are only literary devices to entertain the public.**

**Desire and Regret**

**Chapter seven: Suitors and omens**

_"__A shot glass of __**desire**_

_is greater than a pitcher_

_of talent.__" Andy Munthe_

Exactly how did an annoyed group of men end up circled around two petite women in a shopping mall, bristling and eager to have a reason to go ballistic on the numerous people flocking the cramped hall? It was mostly Botan's fault. After Kagome conceded the group's request to go with them into the feudal era, it was pointed out that they were relatively unprepared for long journeys into the past as they currently were. It was about that time that Botan got a dangerous glint to her eye and whipped out a platinum credit card. That was how the group ended up at a mall on a Saturday; everyone dressed in borrowed clothing and armed with a limitless credit card being paid for by Koenma's office. The girls were in heaven, the boys included a brooding Inuyasha and Hiei were in hell.

"Honestly! He was only sneezing! Sheese, you guys are way too overprotective!" Kagome complained. That was like the fourth time a male had gotten to close to her for the groups comfort, causing them to reel in around her and Botan and send the poor human running scared. Actually, it was really sexist on their part, because it didn't take a man to kill someone…but Kagome wasn't too concerned about fair-sex treatment about now. Getting angry as they continued to ignore her, she crossed her arms about her chest and pitched her voice low behind Inuyasha's and Hiei's backs. "You have two seconds to move before I say the words and leave you to explain why you are flatted into the floor in front of all these people."

Her threat seemed to work as both boys fled, then tried to play it off as a casual retreat. Neither wanted to admit that the small woman held any sort of sway over their actions, and really didn't want the others to figure out that she did. Grinning triumphantly, Kagome strolled forward, swinging her bag carelessly. They had been here for roughly two hours and the two girls had nearly bought everything they could imagine the girls and boys would need. They had tried to get the boys to try things on, but they failed. So instead, the girls had simply held the boys' arms at their sides and angled the clothing about the red faced males. Being a living Ken doll was extremely embarrassing it turned out. Now the males held bag after bag of purchases, regally ticked off and more than ready to get the hell out of this place.

Kagome took three steps and faltered her face burning bright red and releasing a squeal of surprise. Making a snap decision, she barreled back behind a confused Inuyasha and a bored Hiei, ducking down and trying to conceal herself. She wasn't quick enough however.

"KAGOME-CHAN!" Three voices squealed in unison. Behind Inuyasha, Kagome flinched visibly. She loved her friends, really she did, but right now with five bristling males, four of which would cause a stir in the amorous trio, their arrival was not a grand idea. Acting like she hadn't been cowering, she straightened up and feigned surprise to see her friends.

"Um, hi girls. You're here shopping too, huh? With Hojo…?" That was really unexpected. Kagome suddenly found herself in a back breaking embrace and surrounded by high pitched wails that went for speech.

"Ah! Kagome! It's so good to see you! You are feeling better, right? What are you doing here? Why didn't you call me? Ohhh…you should come with us to see this new movie! Hojo-kun has been really worried about you! Oh! Where did that boy go?" Feeling claustrophobic, Kagome was glad when the three girls turned about to find their missing male friend. Standing back and to the side, a blushing Hojo waited patiently to address Kagome. Seeing his chance, Hojo came forward and surprised Kagome by pulling the girl into his embrace.

"Ah ha, Hojo-kun, so nice to see you." Kagome fought down the blush that rose to her cheeks. Hojo pulled back, but didn't release her.

"Kagome! I'm so glad to see you! It's been forever! Um…actually, I was hoping we could get together to see a movie or something, maybe tomorrow? You did run out on me the last one, which I understand, you were not well." While he continued to explain and ask her out, Kagome could feel the eyes of Inuyasha burning into her and that group along with the bubbly excitement of Yuka, Eri and Ayumi as all watched this interaction. Blushing furiously, Kagome struggled out of Hojo's embrace and blinked at him a few times.

"Not going to happen, so lay off." Inuyasha had seen enough, and he was not liking that just as with Kouga, Kagome wasn't telling this bastard off. His speaking, drew the attention of Kagome's friends and a frowning look from Hojo. Reconizing him, Ayumi narrowed her eyes and snagged Kagome's wrist, dragging the girl after her a few feet and turning on her. They were followed the short distantance by Eri and Yuka. They had by no means gone far enough for any of the human's to not over hear their conversation let alone the demons…

"Kagome-chan! I thought you said he was a jerk!" Yuka said hands on her hips, the other two nodded.

"Yeah, a conceited ass! Not to mention still wrapped up in his ex!" Inuyasha's face darkened considerably his ears flattening against his head under his baseball cap, Hojo was eyeing him with distaste. Kagome placed her hands out in front of her to ward off the girls and shook her head rapidly.

"Hey! That was a long time ago! He's not as much of a jerk as he used to be! Plus, we are not dating so what is the big deal?" The girls latched onto this in excitement.

"You finally dumped him! Great! Now you can go out with Hojo and tell us all about it! Oh, we should go buy you something to wear on your date! EHH! When you get married I'll be the maid of honor right?!" They began at a rapid fire pace causing Kagome to reel back in confusion. _How the hell did it get to that?_ The miko wondered. A hand fell on her shoulder drawing all the girls' attention. Hiei stood there, a bland look on his face.

"She can't. She has a trip to go on." He almost faltered at the looks of adoration he was receiving from the human females, stepping back and dropping his hand from Kagome.

"Oh! He is so cute Kagome-chan! You should have told us you had a new boyfriend!" Eri squawked. Kagome's jaw dropped and Hiei looked startled. Before the fire demon, or Inuyasha who was nearly in convulsions from the annoyance, could set straight the girls, Kagome jumped in.

"Him?! You can't be serious! I'd never date a jerk like him!" Hiei actually turned and stared at Kagome a look between amusment and offense written on his face. When she realized what she had just said she blushed. Ayumi latched onto her words quickly.

"Oh? So he's free game?" Sidling up next to an affronted and confused Hiei, the girl smiled shamelessly, wrapping her arms about his waist and glopping him to her. Kagome felt like slapping herself. This was really getting out of hand. Looking over her shoulder, she seen Inuyasha looking murderous and nearly to breaking point. Botan and the others were watching the display in silence. Obiviously none of them were going to get involved after Hiei became a target by the loud rambunctious females.

"Enough! Okay, listen up! Hojo, I apologize, I can not go out with you, I have to go away for a couple of months on a trip. Ayumi, he's taken, back off. Now, I will call you after I get back from my trip, okay? Oh! You better hurry if your going to make a movie!" This seemed to register with the females and a look of horror filtered over their faces. Grabbing Hojo, the three girls raced off down the mall the boy in tow.

"Bye Kagome! Gotta run!" Eri called back to their frustrated friend. She really had to remember why she liked them about now. Turning back to the group, she wanted to bang her head against something at the looks she was receiving. Instead of explaining, or soothing ruffled feathers, the girl smiled and pretended nothing had happened.

"So, Botan, how about we go to Victoria's Secret for the rest of what we need?" Knowing that would distract the group, Kagome sighed heavily, glad she had gotten that over with. Yusuke and Kuwbara had identical looks of incredulity on their faces, Kurama was blinking rapidly and blushing, Hiei and Inuyasha just stared at her, both wanting to address her on her part of the situation a moment ago, and wanting to know what was so special about Victoria's secret that it had to be in the mall. Ignoring the questioning looks, Botan and Kagome headed off in that stores direction knowing the males would figure it out soon enough.

The sun was waging a bloody war on the heavens, heaving the ground into the underworld with twisting shadows as it fled from the world like life cast from a body. The rather increased group stood finally ready to make the large jump into the past. They looked like some ragged band of heroes from a comic, their silhouettes darkened in front of the decrepit well house, packs shouldered and shoulders squared. All that the group needed were capes to billow regally in the stirring wind. Leaves swirled about their feet, the soft crinkle and gentle tug as playful wind raced past the only signs of life as all got their heads on straight.

Kagome glanced around and almost cracked up laughing. The Reikai looked like they were about to take on the master of all time and space or something, when more often than not the past was like an arduous hike and a camping trip, then a fight for survival except during particular times. She almost said something to them along the lines of calm down, but Inuyasha caught her eye and jerked his head in a negative motion. _So, he is to blame for the do-or-die facial expressions…and when the __**hell**__ did Inuyasha get to read me so well?_

Shrugging it off, Kagome took the three steps to the well house and feeling a bit dramatic flung open the doors stirring motes of dust into the air, the fading sun sparking off the fragments making the old building dance with a fairylike and enchanted aura. Even Kagome and Inuyasha were a bit taken aback by the sudden hush and tingle of unnatural magic permeating the structure. It was obvious to all standing at the entrance of the building that from here on in everything any of them had known was, and did, change forever. Taking a deep breath, suddenly feeling a cold hand of fear knot in her chest, Kagome strode forward over the thrush hold knowing instinctually that she had sealed her fate, whether for good, or ill, she wasn't sure, but the chill creeping over her extremities was a bad omen in her mind.

Eek! Sorry its so short, and…ominous…I swear I had nothing to do with it. I have plot points I force down the characters throats, but they take it from there. I really just write what they want to do, and add subscription to make it better. Shrugs, kill not they messenger, slaughter the sender…


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